π€ My Top Finds, Latest Deals, and Best Recommendations (3/8/25)

This week, we'll cover: the best AI tools, insurance planning for fires & more, how to earn 5x on insurance payments and tax prep in March, free year of Calm mediation app, new Flying Blue Promo Rewards, 5% off gift cards and more.
Note: American Express is a ChrisHutchins.com advertiser
π Mailbag: AI Tools, Insurance Planning for Fires & More
My good friend Kevin Rose joined me for another Q&A episode where we talk everything from the best AI tools to takeaways from losing a home in the LA fires to the benefits of rope training and saunas. We also discuss strategies for optimizing home insurance, how to think about where to live, and answer more of your questions. If you want to share a question for a future episode, please βshare it hereβ.
π« Travel, Points & Miles
π¨ Free Night Anywhere with New Welcome Offers
You can currently earn a Free Night Reward, good at any category property in addition to big welcome bonuses. The offer is available on the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card (which we got last year), but it's also on ββthe no-fee Hilton Honors American Express Card (more on rates and fees here).
πΈ 5x in March on Insurance Payments and Tax Prep
Chase is offering a ββsurprise bonus of 5% cash backββ on insurance and tax preparation service payments made on the Chase Freedom Flex® and the Chase Freedom Unlimited® between 3/1 and 3/31. The bonus category is limited to $1,500 in spending, which includes the regular quarterly bonus categories (Q1 categories are grocery stores, fitness clubs, and hair, nails, and spa services). Make sure to ββregister here to qualifyββ.
πΊ Flying Blue Promo Rewards for March 2025
Air France-KLM's Flying Blue program's βMarch 2025 Promo Rewardsβ is offering a 25% discount on economy award flights between Europe and Detroit, Mexico City, Seattle, Washington, Austin and Boston. There are also business-class options to Ottawa starting at 45k miles and to Panama City and San Jose (SJO) for 63,750 miles. Book before 3/31 for travel until 8/31.
ποΈ 15% Off Award Nights at New IHG Properties
IHG One Rewards is offering β15% off award nightsβ at new and revamped properties, including the Iberostar properties in Aruba, Malaga, and Tunisia, and Noku Maldives. This offer is valid for stays through 3/31, 4/30, and 5/31, depending on the property.
ποΈ Up to 1k Bonus Points on Southwest Shopping Portal
You can earn up to β1,000 bonus Rapid Rewardsβ points via the Southwest shopping portal until 3/17. Spend $100 to earn 500 or $300 to earn 1,000 bonus Rapid Rewards points.
π MGM Rewards Tier Status Match Challenge
MGM Rewards has brought back its βStatus Match Challengeβ. Until 7/31, you can get an instant match to MGM Gold or Platinum using a loyalty card from an eligible competitor (list βhereβ). Plus, you can extend the status beyond the initial 90 days if you complete the βchallenge requirementsβ.
π€ Latest Deals
π 5% Off Gift Cards with U.S. Bank Cards
Have a U.S. Bank debit/credit card? You can get a 5% discount when purchasing gift cards for shopping, travel, dining and entertainment on the βU.S Bank gift card siteβ. Thanks for sharing this Ford!
βΎ Redeem Capital One Miles for Exclusive MLB Tickets
Capital One cardholders can βaccess exclusive field-level MLB ticketsβ by redeeming only 5,000 miles each via the βCapital One Entertainment portalβ. These tickets will be available for the next two months with limited availability (usually only 4 tickets per game), so it's a good idea to secure them ASAP.
β·οΈ 2025-2026 Epic Passes on Sale!
After a successful ski trip with the kids this year, we're thinking seriously about getting an βEpic Passβ next year. They're now βon sale for next seasonβ and offering 10 free buddy passes as an early bird deal. The competing βIkon Passβ goes on sale next week on 3/12.
π³ Latest Card-Linked Offers
Card-linked offers are a great way to save on shopping you’re already doing and there are a bunch of great ones I've recently found, including getting a free year of the Calm Meditation app.
- Calm Meditation App: β100% back (up to $69.99)β
- Prenuvo Full Body MRI: β$600 off $2499+β
- Lifeforce Biomarker Testing: β$300 of $599+β
- JetBlue: β$25 off $250β
- IKEA: β10% off (up to $27)β
- Kroger: β10% off (up to $9)β
- Lululemon: β$20 off $100+β
- Southwest Airlines: β10% off (up to $40)β
- Office Depot/Max: β5%-15% offβ
- Vail Resorts: β10k Bonus Rewards points on $500β
- Big Sky Ski Resort: β$50 off $250β
- Select gift cards: β10% off when you redeem Citi pointsβ
Note: Not every cardmember might see these offers, but if you want to automate them, try βCardPointers Proβ with β30% off hereβ.
π΅οΈ Great Finds
π± Invite Code for $0/mo Helium Mobile Plan (No CC)
Last month I shared how you can get a βfree “Zero Plan”β (no credit card required) from Helium Mobile including 3GB of data, 300 texts and 100 mins of calls—but you had to join a waitlist. I finally got in and have a referral code to skip the waitlist: β5XNO54Aβ. Note they do require location services turned on to get the free plan.
πΊ Show Recommendation: Zero Day
I enjoyed this βnew ββNetflix conspiracy mini-seriesβ where Robert DeNiro is in charge of investigating a cyberattack in the US. It has mixed reviews from critics, but I love this genre and only being 6 episodes makes it an easy watch!
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